Electrical switch.



W. L. BLISS. ELECTRICAL swm APPLIOATIOH FILED SEPT.

Patented Feb. 10, 1914 UNITED STATES I rArENr OFFICE.

WILLIAM LORI) BLISS, 0F MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO THE UNITED STATES LIGHT AND HEATING COMPANY, OF NEW YORK,

N. Y., A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

ELECTRICAL SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 10, 1 914.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM LoRo Buss, a citizen of the United States, residing at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of-lVisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Electrical Switches,

of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in electrical switches, more especially to that type known as drop switches, wherein are employed up and down contacts. Heretofore in this class of switches there has been the objectionable feature of the switch arm, in. falling upon its down contacts, chattering before coming to rest, thereby causing a variable and pulsating current at the point of contact.

In my improved electrical switch means are provided whereby when the switch arm drops into contact with the lower or down contacts of the switch, a ositive contact will be made and all chattering, with its consequent pulsating and variable current will be eliminated. Means are also provided whereby in the upward movement of the switch arm, the circuit between the lower or down contacts will be instantaneously broken with a hammer-like blow so that all tendency to arc at this point is eliminated.

A preferred form of my invention contemplates the arrangement of a permanent magnet adjacent to the contacts of the switch, and the provision upon the switch arm of magnetic material which is attracted by the magnet, thus providin positive mechanism for the prevention 0 any rebounding or chattering of the switch arm on its contacts. It is understood that the magnet may be of any well-known type and the magnetic material'of any form and nature suitable for the purpose.

For the purpose of illustration I have assumed the'form of my'invention shown in the accompanying drawing.

Figure l is a front elevation of the switch, P ly in section, and Fig. 2 is a side elevation of-the device. Carried on suitable switch supporting frame .1" is a solenoid or electromagnetic winding 2 having. a. frame 3, integral with position with respect to the upper contacts lower contacts 9-9, carrying rollers 9',9,

which is formed stationary or fixed core 4. Disposed within winding 2 is a movable core 5 5 adapted to move freely either when at tracted in an upward direction by the energizing of the winding 2, or to drop easily upon the deenergizing of said winding. This core or plunger 5 is insulated from the frame 3 by means of a hollow bushing 6, formed of rubber or other non-conducting material, secured to the frame 3.

Upon the lower end of plunger 5 is secured a tail rod 7 provided at its extremity with a lug 11. It is to be understood that this tail rod may be either attached 'to or formed integral with the plunger 5.

Mounted upon the frame 1 at each side of the plunger 5 are upper contacts 88 carrying roller contacts 88- at the outer ends thereof. Disposed in alinement with and beneaththese contacts S8 is a similar pair of contacts 99 bearing rollers l -93 the function of these rollers in each case being to vary the contact points for the prevention of wear of the parts and burning which is often occasioned in fixed contacts through continued use.

Operatively mounted with respect to the tail rod 7 of the plunger 5 is a switch blade 10 which may be in the form of a plate, as shown in the present instance, or -may be simply a rod or disk. Preferably this member 10 is provided with an opening, in the 85 present instance, centrally disposed, through which the tail rod 7 freely passes, and it is usual, as well as desirable, to provide an insulating bushing 10 within this opening in the disk or switch blade to insulate the rod 7 therefrom. Upon the elevation of the rod 7 due to the energizing of winding 2 and the resulting attraction of its core or plunger 5, the switch blade 10 moves into operative 88, engaging the rollers thereon, through the agency of the lug 11 mounted upon the rod 7. It is to be noted that there is lost motion in this operation, as the lug 11 is disposed at some distance below the blade or disk 10 and does not come into contact therewith until the tail rod has acquired momentum suificient to break contact with the with a hammer-like blow. This arrangement effectually obviates the sparking or arcing due to a slow or lingering break of contact, and constitutes a distinct advan-.

tage in the, present invention.

With further reference to the blade or disk 10, there is attached thereto a plate 12 formed of magnetic material, and in the present instance of soft iron. This Plate 12 is preferably insulated from the tail rod 7 by the insulating bushing 10, means such as rivets 13 being provided to hold the parts, switch blade 10, plate 12, and bushing 10 rigidly together. The magnetic member 1 referably extends across the lower face of disk 10 but is made of such dimensions as not to project into the path of the contact rollers 99, and contact with these latter members in closing the circuit is made entirely through the switch blade 10 It is to be understood that the form of the magnetic member 12 is immaterial and may be varied to suit different requirements and usage, and, further, that the material of which this member is formed, provided that thesame be magnetic, is non-essential, it being contemplated by my invention to form said member of any desirable magnetic material.

Attention is next directed to the construction of the member 14 carried by the frame 1. In the drawing illustrating the referred form of my invention, said member 14. is a permanent magnet of the horse shoe type, having its poles in close proximity to the lower contact rollers 9 4) and in juxtaposition to the plate 12 in the dropped position of the switch blade 10. The function of this magnet is to attract the magnetic plate 12 upon the falling of the disk 10 and to retain the same for the prevention of chattering or oscillation of the disk 10 upon its contacts. This structure entirely eliminates any tendency to produce variable or pulsating currents through variable contact. Although I have employed a permanent magnet to accomplish this object, yet it is to be understood that any other class of magnet may be used to perform the same function. he operation of my invention has been disclosed throughout'the foregoing descrip tion, but to recapitulate let it be supposed that winding 2 is energized by current flowing therethrough, thenthe -core 5 with its tail rod 7 will be attracted toward the sta tionary core a gaining in speed as the movable core approaches the latter. The momentum thus gained will be'sufiicient upon the member 11 engaging the lower face of the switch blade 10 to produce aflha'mmerlike blow and instantaneously break the circuit between'the disk 10 and the contact rollers- 9.-9L Later in its upward course, disk 10 is forced into engagement with the Qopie: 3t this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the insulating bushing 8"-8 to establish circuit through contacts 88. Upon reversal of this operation, upon the deenergizing of winding 2, core 5 and tail rod 7 immediately drop and disk 10 breaks the circuit between the upper contacts falling upon lower ourtacts 9-9. It is at this point that the ma net 14 operates to pull its armature or plate 12 into engagement with its poles, and thereby prevents any oscillation or chatter ing of the disk 10 on its contacts and the prevention of variable or pulsating currents ensuing thereby.

Although a particular embodiment of my device has been shown and described, it is to be understood that variations in construction and arrangement of parts may be introduced without departing from the spirit and scope of upper contact rollers my invention.

Having described and pointed out the operation of my invention, what I claim and desire to'sccure by Letters Patent is 2- 1. In an electrically operated s \vitch, an exciting coil, a plunger operated thereby, a contact member of high conductivity car ried by said plunger, said plunger being freely movable through said contact member, pairs of stationary contacts of high conductivityadapted to be bridged by said contact member, a member-of magnetic material secured to said contact member, a magnet provided with poles co-acting with said member of magnetic material to hold said contact member in engagement with said contacts, an enlargement on said plunger adapted to cause sa'd contact member to move with said'plunger after said plunger has moved through said contact. member a predetermined distance, and insulation arranged to insulate'said plunger and its enlargement from said contact member and magnetic member under all conditions of operation.

2. A switch comprising relatively fixed contacts, a bridging member therefor, said bridging member comprising a contacting member and a magnetic member associated therewith, an actuating member for moving said bridging member to close a circuit across said relatively fixed contacts, and an arranged between said actuating member and said bridging member and secured to both elements of said member. I

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM LORD BLISS.

\Vitnesses:

Oscar: A. KELLER, A. H. BARNICKEL.

Commissioner of Patents,

Correction in Letters Patent No. 1,086,985.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,086,985, granted February 10, 1914, upon the application of -William Lord Blies, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, for an improvement in Electrical Switches, an error appears in the printed specification requiring correction as follows: Page 1, lines 60 f0 63 inclusive, should be canceled; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in rhe Patent Office.

of March, A.-D,, 1914.

l Signed and sealed this 31st day [SEAL] J. T. NEWTON.

Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

